Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Friday said he was "a little bit surprised" at England's disappointing show at the World Cup but still rates them as "dangerous" opponents.

An early elimination final for Pakistan as a defeat to New Zealand today would all but end their semifinal hopes, while the Black Caps need to snap a three-match losing streak to get their campaign back on track at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Afghanistan swept past the Netherlands by seven wickets on Friday to boost their chances of reaching the World Cup semifinals.

Bangladesh’s struggle in the ongoing ICC World Cup seems to be a never-ending saga, both on and off the field.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi dedicated his team's victory over the Netherlands to the "people struggling" at home and insisted they are still "dreaming" of reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur on Friday described the tight security facing his team at the World Cup in India as "stifling", leaving players feeling as if they are "back in Covid times".

Afghanistan swept past the Netherlands by seven wickets on Friday to boost their chances of reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

“I have not been given the authority to make decisions,” Mahmud told the Bangladeshi media in Delhi today

“We are going through a  tough period. I would ask you all to support the team as much as possible in these difficult times,” Tamim said.

Afghanistan restricted error-plagued Netherlands to 179 all out on Friday as they chased a victory which would keep them in the hunt for a World Cup semi-final place.

England's Ben Stokes on Friday conceded that "nothing's worked" in a disastrous World Cup campaign.

Liton Das has reunited with the Bangladesh side in Delhi today, Bangladesh Cricket Board's media and communications manager Rabeed Imam confirmed. The batter had returned to Bangladesh due to a family emergency on Wednesday.

Netherlands have won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in a pivotal game to both sides’ semi-finals hopes at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow today.

Australia captain Pat Cummins has backed the increase in 15-member limit on squad sizes with Australia facing the prospect of picking from a squad of 13 players against England on Saturday due to absence of Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh.

Matt Henry has been ruled out of the World Cup in India with a torn right hamstring and replaced in the squad by fellow New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson.

Root said England should be top of the table with the quality in their squad.

After six defeats in seven games, Bangladesh have become a non-factor in the ongoing ODI World Cup. The Tigers have two matches left in the competition, both of which have turned into dead rubbers. The Bangladesh team, weighed down by consecutive defeats, have already surrendered to reality and have further reverted into their shells.

Quinton de Kock's fourth century of the Cricket World Cup guided table-topping South Africa to an emphatic 190-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday, but his influence on the side stretches well beyond runs in the middle.

Not many would have predicted that Afghanistan, who held the record of just a solitary win in World Cups prior to this edition, and the Netherlands, the only associate nation in the tournament, would be vying for a semifinal berth this deep into the mega event.

India seamer Mohammed Shami insisted "it's not rocket science" as he became his country's most successful World Cup bowler on Thursday in the 302-run demolition of Sri Lanka.